Early Life
Aydın Doğan was born on April 15, 1936, in Kelkit, Gümüşhane, Turkey. He completed his primary and secondary education in Kelkit and Erzincan. He then attended the Istanbul Economy and Commerce Academy.
Rise to Success
Doğan's professional life began in 1959 when he started trading construction equipment and vehicles. In 1974, he established his first industrial company. His expansion continued with the acquisition of the daily newspaper Milliyet in 1979. This was followed by the acquisition of Hürriyet in 1994, solidifying his presence in the media sector. Over time, Doğan Holding grew to become one of Turkey's largest conglomerates.
Key Business Strategies
A key strategy was acquiring and developing media properties. Doğan expanded his influence by heading the Association of Turkish Newspaper Publishers from 1986 to 1996. In 2004, he became the first elected Turkish Deputy Chairperson of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN).
Philanthropy
Aydın Doğan established the Aydın Doğan Foundation, supporting education and cultural initiatives. The foundation has built schools and organizes the Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition.